There seems to be an enormous number of item production factions that aren't producing anything. Is it just me or is this a trend? Just seems very odd that a faction could exist specifically to produce items, and be closed temporarily, or not even return their mail. I placed an order and payment into a system a week ago and still haven't had word back, and there are half a dozen others that responded they were closed.

I know these factions have a hard time finding members to do their shipping, etc., but this seem like a recent issue. Anyone else noting a trend?

Edited By: Gort Horth on Year 13 Day 328 8:55____________

My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I want a second opinion. He said okay, you're ugly too.

I think only few weapons faction produce for public, I can't think of many I was able to buy from finished items. Items factions are all NATs or part of corporation if I remember right, which usually means they just produce for internal use or might rent out DCs if they have any. That is usually your best bet, get a factory and make it yourself. As for activity, some leaders just don't bother replying or are too busy. Its not a new issue, always been that way.

Also, pre bandits/hunting, items factions were begging for business. Now that people can hunt and shoot, demand shot up, so many item factions that were low on staff quickly got over-ran with orders and needs, especially those within NAT groups.

Then many item groups merged and changed when the difference between weapons and items faction happened... so many of them were left merging internally, changing production lines and locations, etc.

Add to that PvP allegedly around the corner, and squadding being feasible (i.e. - how many NPCs can you control), weapon rules being out, then changing, then changing again, the needs of NAT-aligned item groups is more to fully outfit their armies and their NPCs. You have a lot of small formerly "un-sexy" factions being plowed with orders.

Been an interesting time the last year or so to be an items producer.

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Most difficulties can be overcome with the proper application of torque.

I'd also say that weapon/item manufacture is the most fiddly, it's not like ships where you can just load up the required RMs, hit the start button then move on to something else, most items are done within a few days less if it's a small number of batches, so you can't leave them for too long.

not all item factions have DCs either and some faction do not rent the DCs... there are many items like mask, or SCPs and such that only has one faction that can produce these items, so sometime the reason a small items faction is not selling or producing is b/c they are trying to get enough DCs.

And unlike all other prod factions, items factions have to be the most picky about security. If you buy a ship, you can only get that ship. if you buy an item, if they aren't carefully, you can easily steal vast amounts of things, so they have to have a much better delineated delivery/distribution plan in place than any other group.

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Most difficulties can be overcome with the proper application of torque.

I understand all this and these facts have been true for the years I've been here. I've been dealing directly with item production factions for years purchasing for the various factions I've been a part of. It's not uncommon to have an items faction be unwilling to deal with you because they only work with GE or NR, etc. No news here.

What I'm seeing recently is factions closed and not taking orders of any kind, or open but not answering their mail and automated order systems. Places anyone can purchase that don't respond when you place an order through their system and pay in advance. That seems new to me, and strange, and happening in several places.

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My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I want a second opinion. He said okay, you're ugly too.